Gagea fragifera(Vill.) E.Bayer & G.López (Syn. Gagea liotardii (Sternb.) Schult. & Schult.f., Gagea fistulosa (Ramond ex DC.) Ker Gawl.) Star of Bethlehem

Gagea fragifera(Vill.) E.Bayer & G.López (Syn. Gagea liotardii (Sternb.) Schult. & Schult.f., Gagea fistulosa (Ramond ex DC.) Ker Gawl.) - Star of Bethlehem

Scientific Description:

Bulbs with pale brown tunics, new bulb arising just above base of old, sometimes with a few thickened roots. Basal leaves l, or if (rarely) 2 then very unequal, triangular in section, 6−20 × 3−5 mm when pressed, hollow, glabrous. Inflorescence umbellate, 4−16 cm, usually glabrous below leaves. Cauline leaves 2, opposite, unequal, lanceolate, acuminate, lower one 2.5−4.5 × 0.3−1 cm; bracts much narrower and shorter. Flowers (l−)2−4(−6). Pedicels l.5−5 cm, usually hairy, elongating after flowering. Perianth segments yellow, narrowly ovate, 10−18 × 2−4 mm, curling and elongating to 22 mm after flowering, glabrous. Capsule c. 11 × 6 mm, narrowly obovate, emarginate.

 

Flowering Time: April-August.

Habitat: Wet grassy places, earthy slopes by melting snow, 1100-2950 m.

 

Reference:
Rix EM (1984). Gagea fistulosa Ker-Gawler, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 322.

Public Description:

Gagea liotardii, known as “star of bethlehem”, is naturally distributed in the Eurasia and North Africa. Its native range stretches from Spain and Morocco to Mongolia. It is a perennial plant with very small pale brown crusted bulbs under the soil and small yellow or yellowish-green flowers and generally does not exceed 15 cm in length. It blooms between April and August. It is especially found in wet grassy places and earthy slopes by melting snow over 1000 m.

 

References:

Anonymous 1 (2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gagea_liotardii,/ Accessed date: 21.03.2017.

Anonymous 2 (2017). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/gagea/fragifera/, /Accessed date: 21.03.2017.

Tekşen M (2012). Gagea Salisb., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 607–607.